PAKISTAN: More than 400 activists arrested within 72 hours prior to President's visit to Balochistan

PAKISTAN: Violation of the freedom of assembly; persecution of political and human rights activists; arbitrary arrest and detention; abuse of rights in the pretext of maintaining public order; un-rule of law------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- -

Dear friends,

The Asian Human Rights Commission has received information that the Pakistani government has arrested more than 400 political and human rights activists within 72 hours from the night of 27 November 2006 to stop the planned protest during President Musharraff's two day visit to Balochistan province from 30 November 2006. We were also informed that the government has imposed the maintenance of Public Order Ordinance throughout the province and also arrested the former chief minister of Balochistan. This is clear violation of freedom of assembly and expression of people in Balochistan and we call for your urgent intervention into this matter.

CASE DETILAS:

Balochistan National Party (BNP) has planed to organize a protest called "Long March" from 30 November 2006 on the same day when President Musharaff will begin his two days visit to Balochistan province. The protest aims at raising voice against the ongoing military operations, the establishment of military cantonments and alleged arrest, detention and forced disappearances of political and human rights activists by the military in the province. The protesters also had a plan to protest during the march against the killing of a political leader Mr. Akber Bugti in an air attack on 27 August 2006 and the construction of the mega project at Gwader, which will lead large scale of eviction of indigenous people in the area.

The 1200-kilometer long march was scheduled to start from the coastal city of Gwader on November 30 and end at Quetta on December 11. The BNP also planned to hold several meetings during the march in different cities to mobilize people of Balochistan against the military operation, killings and disappearances in the province.

However, the Pakistan government began to arrest the political and human rights activists in order to stop this march and within 72 hours from the night of November 27 more than 400 activists were arrested by the police and military personnel. During the debate in the Senate sessions, the opposition parties accused the government of arresting 158 activists including the former chief minister of Balochistan and other leadership of the BNP within 24 hours only on November 28 in the pretext of the maintenance of Public Order Ordinance. The minister for parliamentary affairs confirmed to the upper house about such arrests but instead of positively dealing with this matter, simply told advised opposition parties to bring the cases to the court for the release of the arrested people.

Meanwhile, many people voluntarily went on strike and closed their shops in different cities of Balochistan in order to protest against such large scale arrest. The people fear that there may be more severe actions against people Balochistan by the military.